New Delhi, Dec 5: Hailing India-Russia ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the friendship between the two countries has remained like a pole star amidst the ups and downs faced by the world in the past 80 years.

While making a joint press statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin following their talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Friday, PM Modi said that the ties between two nations have stood the test of time and thanked Putin for his friendship and unwavering commitment to India while recalling the efforts made by the Russian leadership to elevate bilateral ties.

“Today, I am delighted to welcome President Putin to the 23rd India-Russia Summit today. His visit comes at a time when our bilateral relations are experiencing several historic milestones. 25 years back, President Putin laid the foundation for our strategic partnership. 15 years ago, in 2010, our partnership was granted the status of a Special Privileged Strategic Partnership. For the past two and a half decades, he (President Putin) has nurtured this relationship with his leadership and vision.

“His (President Putin) leadership, under all circumstances, has elevated our ties to new heights. I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Putin, my friend, for this deep friendship and unwavering commitment to India. The world has seen many ups and downs over the past eight decades. Humanity has faced many challenges and crises and amidst all this, the India-Russia friendship has remained like a pole star. This relationship, founded on mutual respect and deep trust, has always stood the test of time,” he added.

Recalling recent heinous terror attacks in both countries, PM Modi said that India and Russia have stood together in the fight against terrorism.

“Today we also discussed regional and global issues. India and Russia have long cooperated shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. Whether it’s the terrorist attack in Pahalgam or the cowardly attack on Crocus City Hall — the root of all these incidents is the same. India firmly believes that terrorism is a direct attack on the values ​​of humanity and global unity against it (terrorism) is our greatest strength.”

PM Modi announced that India and Russia will cooperate to train Indian seafarers in polar waters. “We will now cooperate to train Indian seafarers in polar waters. This will not only strengthen our cooperation in the Arctic, but will also create new employment opportunities for India’s youth.”

Reiterating India’s stance on Ukraine conflict, he said, “India has advocated for peace in Ukraine from the very beginning. We welcome all efforts to find a peaceful and lasting solution to this issue. India has always been ready to contribute and will continue to do so.”

PM Modi also termed energy security as a strong and important pillar of India-Russia partnership. He stated that cooperation between India and Russia in civil nuclear energy has been crucial in realising shared clean energy priorities.

“Energy security has been a strong and important pillar of the India-Russia partnership. Our decades-old cooperation in civil nuclear energy has been crucial in realising our shared clean energy priorities. We will continue this win-win cooperation. Our cooperation in critical minerals is crucial to ensuring secure and diversified supply chains across the world,” stated PM Modi.

Earlier, taking the India-Russia Special and Privileged Partnership ahead, PM Modi warmly welcomed President Putin at the Hyderabad House to participate in the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit.

With both countries sharing a longstanding and time-tested bond, the two leaders are holding comprehensive and detailed discussions aimed at further strengthening the bilateral relations.

Mumbai: At Vivek Vidyalaya & Junior College in Goregaon West on Thursday, members of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and a few female students demonstrated against a purported hijab ban. The protest, which attracted much attention on social media after a video clip went viral, forced the college to come out with a clarification.

Following the protest, police had registered an FIR. A senior official said six female students, including three unidentified, were booked for unlawful assembly as they staged a hunger strike outside the college without prior permission and also argued with police personnel who tried to disperse the gathering.

However, the college administration moved quickly to address the controversy. According to the Times of India report, Principal Sheeja Menon stated in a statement that the college “has no reservation for Muslim girl students wearing hijab and, in fact, there is no ban on the practice.” It’s a “misrepresentation which has led to unnecessary issues which were totally avoidable” was the cause of the situation, she continued.

The protest’s leader, AIMIM Mumbai president Farooq Maqbool Shabdi, stated that the action was prompted by complaints from students who were allegedly requested to take off their hijabs before entering classrooms. “The college administration clarified that there is no ban on students wearing the hijab after we protested,” he stated.

This incident shows the continued tensions around dress codes at places of learning and the role of student activism in raising concerns about religious freedom. After discussions with the management of the college, the institution reportedly rolled back any instructions that could be interpreted as a ban on hijab, thereby bringing temporary closure to the controversy.

Mumbai, Dec 5: Amid its pursuit of making Maharashtra a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, and in the backdrop of controversies over reservation and allegations of corruption, the Devendra Fadnavis-led MahaYuti government in Maharashtra completes one year in office on Friday.

The year has been defined by a strong push for accelerated development, economic growth, and administrative speed, set against persistent political volatility arising from the coalition structure and wider social pressures.

A central focus of the administration has been the fast-tracking of major urban and state infrastructure projects. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis repeatedly highlighted a “clear vision, fast decision-making process, and focus on implementation.”

The Infrastructure War Room was used actively to clear bottlenecks and impose tighter timelines on long-pending works. The government unveiled its Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision document with the goal of reaching a five trillion-dollar economy, while also working to position the state as the country’s top investment destination.

Efforts were directed towards improving the ease of doing business and bringing in global investment. Several policy and administrative reforms were advanced across sectors.

The cabinet approved a government guarantee for a Rs 2,000 crore HUDCO loan to the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation for land acquisition required for the Virar-Alibaug Multi-Modal Corridor.

With the Navi Mumbai International Airport set to begin operations on December 25, the government firmed up plans for a proposed Third Mumbai. This includes specialised clusters such as an Edu City with foreign university campuses and an Innovation City.

The state is also banking on the Vadhavan port project involving an investment of Rs 76,000 crore, with the Chief Minister claiming it will rank among the world’s top ten ports once completed.

To strengthen regional connectivity, the government approved an additional Rs 491 crore for converting the Nagpur-Nagbhid narrow-gauge line to broad gauge to improve links in Vidarbha.

In the health sector, the coverage of state health schemes was expanded to 2,399 treatments across 38 specialities. Financial support was sanctioned for nine major diseases, including heart, lung, liver, and bone marrow transplants, with assistance ranging from Rs 9.5 lakh to Rs 22 lakh. A one-time regularisation was approved for contract staff under the National Health Mission who had completed ten years of service. The government also cleared the creation of an Urban Health Commissionerate to improve healthcare management in cities.

To strengthen administrative reforms, amendments were made to the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966, including changes to non-agricultural tax and conversion charges. Full legal validity was granted to Digital 7/12 and other key land records to support e-governance. New District and Additional Sessions Courts were sanctioned in locations such as Ghodnadi-Shirur for enhancing the judicial framework.

The fisheries sector was granted the same priority status as agriculture, qualifying it for infrastructure support and concessions. The government also cleared the winding up of the state-owned asset reconstruction firm Maha ARC Ltd after the Reserve Bank of India declined to grant it an operational licence.

Despite a strong mandate in the 2024 assembly elections, the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP coalition required a “delicate balancing act.” The government faced scrutiny over coordination among the coalition partners, even as the Opposition maintained a constant combative stance.

Controversies related to land deals (Pune land transactions) and law and order issues (the fallout from the Beed sarpanch murder case) kept the government on the defensive. The Chief Minister’s announcement of performance audits for ministers hinted at efforts to reinforce accountability.

The most serious challenge emerged from the Maratha quota agitation led by Manoj Jarange, coupled with resistance from sections of the OBC community. The government was forced to set up cabinet sub-committees to handle these demands, highlighting the delicate social balancing required.

The government also faced criticism for delays in fulfilling certain campaign promises, including a state-wide farm loan waiver and higher monthly assistance under schemes such as Ladki Bahin Yojana. While trying to meet pre-poll commitments, the government must navigate a tight fiscal environment, with public debt crossing Rs 9.30 lakh crore, a revenue deficit of Rs 45,891 crore, and a fiscal deficit of Rs 1,36,325 crore.